photo by Marco Manchini

Once considered safely distant enough to banish political and criminal exiles, today you can reach the Izu Seven Islands in less than an hour by air from Chofu Airport or on an overnight ferry from Takeshiba Pier. These islands are an administrative district of Tokyo, but you'll never feel farther from the big city.

Izu Seven Islands stretch from Oshima, 120km south of Tokyo to Hachijojima almost 300km south. Oshima is the largest island of the seven and has the most attractions for tourism - a squirrel farm, a shellfish museum, the Volcano Center (not to be confused with the actual volcano, Mt. Mihara which erupted in 1986 and forced evacuation of the island).

But the most popular island must be Niijima, third in the chain, which has enough tourism during the summer season (July 16-August 21) to rate a direct ferry from Tokyo in addition to the kakuekitei-ferry that stops at all the islands.

Cool pools abound photo by Marco Manchini

Niijima is small but packs a lot of distractions into its 23 square kilometers. It offers enough history, art and sports activities to keep anyone interested for a weekend or longer. At the same time, it has the friendly, relaxed, small-town atmosphere that only seaside towns possess. Things on Niijima move at a slower pace than back on the mainland.

When the ferry arrives, you'll be greeted by a platoon of women smiling and waving banners with the names of minshuku (family-run inns, similar to bed and breakfasts) on them. Find the one where you've made your reservation and get settled in. Then rent a bicycle (JY1500 per day) if you'd like to get around the island quickly and easily.

If you're interested in the history and geology of the island, start with an overview at the Niijima Village Museum. Brand new in 1998, the museum does an excellent job of explaining the island's main points - in Japanese and in English. The entire museum is blissfully bilingual. Be sure to go upstairs to see the exhibit of handmade surfboards from the 1960s.

Exiles' cemetery photo by Marco Manchini

Once your day's lesson is out of the way, go explore in person. A shrine and a temple are close to the museum, while the historic exiles' cemetery adjoins the temple. On a side road a short way off is the execution ground where eleven exiles who had committed crimes on the island met their end.

Geologically, the island is made predominantely of rhyolite (koga in Japanese), a grainy, rough stone made of tiny quartz crystals. Niijima is only one of two places on earth where rhyolite is available, and it makes the most of this natural resource. Every building seems to incorporate it; the Yunohama Onsen near the pier is decked out as a Greek ruin made of koga, while huge carved stone heads dot the landscape like diligent sentinels (to see one of these a little closer to home go to Shibuya station, south exit). Even the beach on the eastern side of the island is made of tiny grains of clear quartz.

Where there's interesting sand, there is interesting glass. The Niijima Glass Art Center offers classes (in English and Japanese) in glass blowing and fusing. The Glass Art Museum has forty glass sculptures on display including one by premier glass artist Dale Chihuly. Videos show guest artists conducting workshops and creating works of art at the Glass Art Center.

Overlooking Yunohama Onsen photo by Kristen McQuillin

For action sports in the water, Habushiura Beach is the place to be. Surfing is good here; in fact it was surfing on Niijima that got the Japan Pro Surfing Association started. On the other side of the island, Maehama has windsurfing and water-skiing performances. For a calmer seaside experience, the northern tip of the island, Wakago, has quiet waves and black volcanic sand.

If you're more inclined to hike than to swim, the southern end of the island sports three scenic overlooks (Mukoyama Viewing Platform, Ah Observation Platform, and Omine Viewing Platform) for views of the surrounding ocean and nearby islands. If you prefer something farther north, the Fujimi Pass leading to Miyatsuka Mountain (432 meters) is approximately two hours on foot from the Niijima Pier.

Finally, don't forget some omiyage! Kusaya is the traditional, strong-smelling, cured fish product of Niijima. If you prefer something less offensive to the nose, a bowl made of greenish-yellow Niijima glass or a miniature rhyolite carving might be a better option. Of course, you will also find myriad surfing-themed bric-a-brac and the ubiquitous boxes of individually wrapped sweets in all the gift shops.